A Bad Influence
by Flek Siner
Summary: Steven can make a better person out of anyone, even if they don't want or deserve it. If he met the opposite, though. A person who made people worse. Would he stay the same, or change?
1. Chapter 1

Steven woke with a start. Crumbs and discarded pizza crusts fell to the floor as he floundered from the couch to the floor in a jumble of food and pillows. He looked around the house from the floor. The light was lower than he remembered, not quite evening yet, but definitely getting there.

His relaxing Tuesday snack session had gotten a little out of hand. A haze of cheese and sugar was the only thing he could remember before the sleep hit. The dreams that came were a disjointed mix of colors swirling into one another. Voices went in and out of earshot as the colors changed. Some sounded sad. Others confused or angry. Steven was pretty sure what it was. The Cluster.

He shuddered at the memory. While Steven was ecstatic that they had been able to deal with the Cluster nonviolently, and that it was seemingly at peace with itself when he and Peridot had left it, it would still pop into his head from time to time. The idea that the Cluster might rip its way through the Earth's crust never crossed his mind, he just felt bad for all of them. Having an entire colony's worth of people to talk to might be nice, but what if they wanted to see the world? Or be what they used to; become whole?

Steven got up from his pile on the floor. He couldn't hear anyone else around the beach house. The Gems hadn't been home all day; a note on the refrigerator had said something about a nondescript "Mission," how it was in an area "unfit for human life," and how they'd be back late.

Getting existential about his Cluster dream was not something Steven wanted to do alone. He cupped his chin in thought, _"_ _Hmm. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are out. Connie said she studying for a 'mid-term.' Not sure what that is…. Uhhh. Maybe Peedee or Sadie and Lars are around."_

* * *

The Beach City boardwalk was surprisingly busy for a Tuesday afternoon. Both the Beach Citywalk Fries and The Big Donut were packed with people. Well, packed was a strong word; it was more just strange for Steven to see more than three people at once at either establishment.

Steven gave a small sigh _, "Whelp that's a bust. Who coulda guessed that a Deerhound Bus broke down right outside of town?"_ He stopped _, "Oh. Garnet, duh."_

He continued down the peer until he saw the amusement park, also streaming with an extra crowd of people. _"Yeah! This'll take me out of my funk! A probably unsafe rollercoaster or some cheap, fun games!"_

* * *

Steven was starting to wonder if three buses had been passing by town. Fun Land was filled to bursting with people. Not an inch of the rickety walkway was empty for more than a few seconds as laughing patrons crowded around each other to get to the next attraction. It'd taken him twenty minutes to get his tickets.

Harold Smiley, the manager or maybe owner of the park, Steven wasn't sure, was surrounded by a mass of yelling children, controlling the group like a herd of loud sheep as he spoke over them about the fantastic prizes that they could win if they just made one ring over the neck of a bottle.

The chubby boy shook his head at the other kids with a knowing smile. _"They're gonna waste all their money before they even get to the doable games."_

Steven moved on from Mr. Smiley. Watching him swindle kids would only make his mood worse. The scrambler ride had a decent line so that was a no, the rollercoaster operator, Mr. Smiley, would be back in five, and none of the other games were really calling to him.

"Aw there's gotta be something!" Steven huffed to himself. As he walked further into the park his dream funk faded slowly into a simpler, but more pressing, boredom.

He'd gotten to the end of Fun Land, a large wire fence was standing tall before him. The back of the park was as devoid of people as it was of good booths and rides. A few porta-potties were stuck up against the fence next to a rusty dumpster and a dilapidated booth with faded lettering that at one point may have said, "Tarot Reading."

Turning back around Steven did see one thing of interest. It was one of those old strong man tests, with a lone figure sitting in a chair next to it. Normally this wouldn't have been Steven's first choice in Fun Land booth, but he was getting desperate. Maybe his Gem powers would actually make him good at one of these?

A lanky young man was sitting in a folding chair, a comically large, wooden mallet propped his hands and chin up. Thick sandy hair hid the man's eyes along with most of his pale face. A thin, toothy smile opened on his face as Steven got closer.

"Hi there, kid," the skinny man drawled out, "What brings you all the way back here? Lost?" His voice was a lot deeper than you'd guess from a guy with his build.

Steven shook his tight curls, "Nah!" Steven laughed, "Just looking for something new to try."

The man rubbed the back of his head, "Aw, I got to tell you kid, this thing aint the best. It's a little…" he motioned with his hand at the iron bell, "…Crappy. Probably won't even get it half way up. Besides the prizes aint the best either." He pointed his long finger at a cardboard box filled with dime-store stuffed animals.

"Could I give it a try anyway?" Anything would better than nothing at this point.

The man shrugged, "I warned you," Gripping his knees the man pulled himself up from the chair laboriously. Seeing him standing, Steven realized how thin he actually was. He could give Pearl a run for her money. The wooden hammer passed from the park worker's bony fingers to Steven's thicker mitts, "Give it a whirl."

Steven pulled out a string of pink tickets, "How many?"

The man waved his hand in front of his face, "Oh I'm not gonna take your tickets for this, kid. I'd feel bad."

"Are you sure?"

Another toothy grin, "Positively."

Steven returned the smile and moved towards the high-striker machine. The hammer probably weighed a good thirty to forty pounds. The boy's gripped the hammer tightly as he easily hefted it over his head, causing the clerk to raise a surprised eyebrow.

Splinters flew off the hammer as it stuck the base of the machine with an ear splitting clang. The dial climbed the high-striker's tower for a short moment before stopping at the paltry "Girly Man" level. Steven's face dropped for just a second before he jumped at the clerk's voice.

"Oh! Come! On!" He yelled, "You had that, kid! You had it!" He looked angrier that Steven lost than Steven did.

"H-Hey it's alright. It's not a big deal. Just a game. Right?" Steven reasoned. He had not expected that.

The man gave him a stern look, "No, kid, it aint a big deal. But it is a rip."

"But I didn't even lose any tickets. See?!" He waved the pink strips with a big smile, "No loss. All good."

The thin clerk tsked the boy with a raised finger, "Yeah you didn't lose anything this time, kid, but what about next time? Or the next kid that comes back here? Could lose those tickets in a flash over a dumb little scam. That aint right." Steven was shocked at how upset this guy had gotten over so little.

A thin arm reached into the box of stuffed animals and plucked out a blue cheetah, "Here catch." The man threw the periwinkle big-cat to Steven, who stumbled to catch it. "After dealing with this," he thumbed to the game, "You deserve something."

Steven frowned, "But I didn't win. I don't even get a lame pencil eraser or anything. Those are the rules, right?"

"Kid sometimes the rules aren't right? If rules aint right kid, don't follow'em. Feel me?"

"Ugh, I guess." Steven wasn't sure what to think of that. He looked at the man awkwardly for a moment, taking a step away from the high-striker, before remembering his manners, "Oh, and thanks! Mr. um…" He looked for a nametag.

The man answered quickly, "Carmichael. And you're welcome…"

"Steven!" the boy responded in turn, "Steven Universe!"

Carmichael grinned his thin grin, "Now that's a name! Well Mr. Universe I hope you have a lovely rest of your day."

Steven's previous apprehension vanished in an instance. He put on a faux business voice, "Please, Carmichael! Call me Steven. Mr. Universe is my father! Haha!"

"You got it Stevie!" Carmichael chuckled, "And really have a good one. I'll catch you around."

"See you around Mr. Carmichael!" he called back as he ran back into the crowd of people, blue cheetah and tickets in hand. Carmichael waved a pale hand at the retreating boy.

* * *

Steven was walking down the boardwalk, getting back onto the beach to get home. The blue, stuffed cheetah was eyeing him, or Steven thought it was.

"Don't look at me like that!" he cried at the inanimate object, "I know I didn't earn you fair and square, but Carmichael said it was alright." He didn't sound so sure. "I mean he works there, so if he says it's okay it must be, right?" Steven puffed his cheeks in confusion, "Oh! I'll ask Pearl or Garnet! They'll know. If they say it was wrong I'll take it back. Yeah, that's it!" He looked at the cheetah, "Glad we had this discussion."

Steven finished his walk home in silence. The Gems still weren't home, so Steven plopped himself down on his bed to watch some TV, putting the potentially wrongfully owned cheetah next to the bed. Soon after he fell asleep for a while longer, and several hours later the Gems returned home. They regaled him with what that "mission" was, and he listened in his usual excited silence. The cheetah forgotten.

* * *

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Later

* * *

Beach Citywalk Fries was slow. A few days earlier they'd been absolutely swamped. A cross country bus had broken down outside of town, and apparently fries had been the only thing on the passengers' minds when they wondered into town. The rush lasted a good three or four hours before all the passengers rushed off in a cloud of ketchup and napkins as their bus was fixed.

Peedee Fryman, the youngest of the Frymans, was manning the front counter, looking pleased at the low customer flow. He stifled a satisfied yawn when he saw the shop's best customer, Steven Universe, walking towards the counter.

Peedee gave him a friendly wave, "Hey Steven. You want your usual?"

"Hey Peedee! And do you even need to ask?" Steven wagged his finger as he smiled.

"Should have figured. Coming up," Peedee sighed. As he walked back to pick out the bits from the fryer Steven noticed Frybo, the shop's mascot, dancing around about twenty feet away from him.

Frybo still kind of creeped Steven out. Watching it violently force feed people fries had made an impact, not enough to stop eating fries, but enough to occasionally give him the chills. He was surprised Peedee hadn't been shoved in there again. The suit was moving a little stiffly, was it Ronaldo?

"Here's your bits, Steven," Peedee had gotten back, holding a grease bottomed, paper bag.

Steven took the bag thankfully. "Didn't you all burn that suit?" he asked, taking a handful of bits.

Peedee shrugged his scrawny shoulders, "Dad had apparently bought another one not too long ago. He said something like, 'We'll know when we need it,' or something. I guess he thinks that rush the other day was the sign he was waiting for."

"Wow," Steven said through a mouthful of fry bits, "Who is it?"

"Dunno. Dad hired him this morning. I've never met him. Not sure he's a local."

"Huh. Oh well, thanks for the bits Peedee. I'll see ya later," Steven walked off down the boardwalk.

Out of the corner of his eye, a waggling arm was trying to get his attention. The Frybo performer was waving him over, the stitching on the arms was looking a little stretched.

Whoever was wearing it must have been a lot taller than Peedee because the face hole was filled with someone's torso, and the legs stuck out a lot farther than they probably should have.

"Hey Steven! It's me," a muffled voice said through the suit.

Steven cocked his head to the side, "Uh, hi. Do I know you?"

"Don't recognize me already? That aint nice, kid," the voice chastised.

"Sour Cream?!" he furrowed his brow, "No wait… Carmichael!"

The top of the Frybo suit was swiftly pulled off by a lopsided fry, revealing straight, sandy hair resting above a familiar smile. "If it aint Stevie," Carmichael took in a gulp of much needed fresh air, "Out for a stroll?"

Steven held up his sack of fry bits, "I was just getting a quick snack before I helped out Lars at the Big Donut. I thought you worked at Fun Land."

"Hey, a guy's gotta eat. These guys were hiring too, so I took the opportunity. Although," he motioned to the costume, "I wasn't expecting this." He gave a quizzical glance at Steven's bag, "What are those? I didn't think Fryman's was that greasy?"

"They're bits!" Steven yelled, spraying the Frybo suit with mushed bits, "They're the best."

"Gimme," Carmichael held out a gloved hand. Steven put a few of the bits in the suit's glove, which the young man popped into his mouth. It only took two or three chews before he spat out the greasy potatoes. "Ugh! Steven! What are those?!"

Steven ate a few more, "Fry bits. They're the pieces of the fries that fall to the bottom of the fryer."

Carmichael stuck his tongue out, "That's gotta be pure grease, Stevie. Positively foul, if you ask me."

"Eh," the younger boy shrugged, "I like'em. Well I get going to help Lars. See you."

Steven felt one of Frybo's mitts on his shoulder. "Hey Stevie, come sit with me a spell."

"But I promised to help Lars. We're moving a dumpster," Steven explained. He liked being asked to help with real "jobs," it made him feel all professional.

Carmichael put up a finger, "Just for a minute or two. It gets pretty boring prancing around in this after a while."

"I mean," Steven rubbed his shoulder, "If it's just for a minute or two. Won't Peedee mind though?"

Carmichael gave a sidelong glance towards the counter. Peedee was playing with a pile of napkins, making a fairly impressive origami sculpture of a box of fries.

"I don't think he'll mind." Carmichael started walking to the bench a few yards away. He patted the seat next to him, "Tell me about those, uh, space ladies you live with, Steven."

Steven took the seat, "You know about the Gems?"

"They're all I heard about when I mentioned your name to a few people," Carmichael straightened up, and asked with a wry smile, "So are they like, rock monsters, or do they just wear a lot of jewelry?"

"Hahuh, no! They're more like," he paused for a second, "Holograms, but with mass. At least that's what Pearl said."

"Wow. That's wild," Carmichael said a little wistfully, "Pearl, huh? Is she one of them?"

"Yep! There's Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst. They live in the temple above my house. They're like my guardians."

The older man looked down, hair drooping lower. "Parents out of the picture?"

"Not really," Steven smiled, "My dad lives in a van by the carwash, and my mom is a part of me now."

Carmichael stared at the boy, a little confused, his hair had parted to one side. Steven finally got a good look at his whole face. A long, straight nose in between two deep blue eyes. "You've got a hell of a life Stevie."

Steven balked a little at the curse, he didn't even think he'd heard Lars or the other teens around town cuss. Either still, he smiled harder at the compliment.

"Thanks, Mr. Carmichael," he checked the time, "I've got to get going now." He started to get up.

Carmichael quickly wrapped a long arm around him, "Oh come on, talk with me a little more."

Steven eyed him suspiciously, "I promised Lars I'd help him. I don't like breaking my promises."

Carmichael brushed him off, "It's not a big deal, Steven."

"If wasn't a big deal then why would Lars send me this?" Steven held out his cellphone. The text message on the screen read: **Stevn rlly nd u 2 hlp me with trash work. K thx.**

"Probably because he's lazy Steven," the thin man said bluntly.

Steven put his phone down, "Lars isn't lazy! He just… needs a little help sometimes."

"Steven, does Lars work alone?"

"No, Sadie works with him usually."

Carmichael made an exasperated face, "Then he doesn't need YOUR help Steven. He's already got it. Just sit for a while. Besides, do you actually want to move a dumpster?"

Steven looked up in thought, "I guess not."

"See! Let the guy work. No worries," Carmichael put his hands behind his head.

Steven pulled his phone back out. "But what do I tell Lars? I already told him okay."

"Here," he grabbed the phone without a second thought, "Let me." Long fingers tapped on the phone for a few seconds and flipped it back to Steven. It read: **Sorry I can't help you today.**

"This work?"

"I don't wanna lie to him."

"You're not lying!" Carmichael smirked, "You, are busy telling me about the Gems. Here, to sweetin the pot, I'll buy you some more bits. Even if they're gross. Sound good?"

The chubby boy brightened, "Yeah, alright."

They both got up and went over to the counter. Peedee jumped a little when he noticed them.

Carmichael held out a few dollars, "Hi there, boss man. Give me, and my friend Stevie here, some bits."

Peedee shook his head, "Ugh, not you too? You know you're not supposed to take off the costume, right?"

"Yeah, yeah boss man. I got it. Now then," he pushed the money into Peedee's face, "Bits please."

"Yeah, Peedee! Give us the bits!" Steven interjected.

Peedee dropped his shoulders, "You got it, but put the suit back on."

He came back with the bits and Steven and Carmichael went back to the bench. They talked for an hour or two after that. Steven told him more about the Gems. Their personalities, their powers, how they could fuse. Carmichael never put the Frybo head back on. Steven never sent that text.

* * *

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

Later Still

* * *

The beach's lightly tinted sand was cool on Steven's feet. He'd come out to watch Connie train with Pearl. He was digging his toes into the mush of the tide, and slowly pulling them back up. Watching Connie duck around the twirling Pearl had been exciting two hours ago, but Connie deftly swinging his mother's pink sword at Pearl was only so appealing.

The girl's training attire was coated in sweat. Pearl, like always, was devoid of any kind of perspiration; she barely looked winded. Connie reared back for an overhead strike, but was swiftly hit in the sternum by the butt of Pearl's spear.

Coughing, Connie tried pulling herself back up, using the sword for a brace. Pearl dematerialized her spear, its twirling design collapsing back into light. Her slender arms pulled Connie back to standing.

The Gem gave her a matronly smile, "That's enough for today. Remember Connie, unrelenting aggression can be very effective in a battle, but your still young. If you keep forcing yourself back up, you may fall faster in the next fight."

Connie winced, air returning to her lungs, "B-But we-," she looked at Steven, "We may have to fight again soon. Against the Homeworlds, you know?" Connie didn't know much about the Homeworld Gems, just what Steven had told her. She knew they had fought the Crystal Gems a long time ago, had made those creepy cluster fusions, and hated Steven. In her opinion, that's all she needed to know.

Pearl closed her eyes, taking on a scholarly pose, "Your main role in a combat situation is to protect and work with Steven," Steven perked up, "You must complement each other with your skills. Your offense. And Steven's defense. Without the other, you will assuredly fall."

Connie's eyes dropped, but quickly rose when she felt Pearl's hand on her shoulder.

"All in all though, you did great today Connie," Pearl congratulated.

Connie beamed. Her body fell into the sand, happily exhausted. Steven walked over and sat down next to her, glad they were done. They started chatting about the day, and what they'd do the next day, if Connie was free, when the sound of clapping came down the shore.

Very slow deliberate applause from a stick of a man walking towards them. An oversized denim jacket hung off his frame. A thin smile stretched below rarely seen blue eyes.

"Wowie-wow! Stevie you weren't kidding about these two," Carmichael all but yelled, "That was fantastic, both of you."

Connie and Pearl gave Steven a look. Everyone knew that Steven would talk to practically anyone he met, but even his other friends rarely ventured onto the Gems' part of the beach.

"Steven, do you know this man?" Pearl whispered.

He nodded, "Uh-huh. That's Mr. Carmichael, I met him a few days ago."

"Why is he coming over he-?" She had to stop herself as Carmichael sidled up next to the Gem. Pearl had to force herself not to recoil at the smiling man's closeness. She had learned to deal with most of the Beach City citizens over the centuries, but this man was far too close for comfort.

"Oh hello, you must be Carmichael," Pearl said, doing a verbal 180, "Steven's told us so much about you." He hadn't, but sometimes flattery was all someone needed before going away.

He cocked his head to the side and chuckled deeply, "Really? Dang Stevie, didn't think you liked me that much."

Pearl's hand was grabbed by his long fingers, and before she could wrench it away, she found herself in a vigorous shake.

"You must be Pearl. It's nice to meet you," somehow his smile got deeper.

Pearl was so shocked at his brazen greetings that she almost forgot to respond, "O-Oh, hello sir. Um, how do you know Steven?"

Carmichael let go, "He told me all about you."

"Really?" Pearl gave Steven a slightly disapproving look. She turned back to Carmichael, but his interest had changed to Steven and Connie.

"And you must be Connie," Carmichael had kneeled down next to the pair, his hands gripped his knobby knees.

Connie didn't really know what to make of this guy. Did he know Steven well enough to just waltz up and start chatting him up? Maybe he was just pushy?

"Mmhmm," she nodded.

Carmichael giggled at her apparent shyness, "So what was all that, Stevie? You guys gettin ready for a rumble?"

"Pearl gives Connie sword training lessons. Sometimes I join to, but I was feeling more cheerleader today," He gave a lazy twirl of his fist.

"Man, kids these days are something else," Carmichael sat down in the sand next to them, "You all mind if I sit with you a bit? I don't have anything going on right now, a little company would be nice."

Pearl tried to shoo him away, "Oh I don't know. It's getting la-."

Steven cut her off, "It's not that late, Pearl. We can hang out for a bit. Right Connie?" He looked at her expectantly.

She didn't really have any reason to say no. "Sure," she said, getting more comfortable in the sand.

"Well I'll just let you all talk then. I'll be back in the temple," Pearl turned from them and walked around the cliff face. Not wanting to look overly protective, she let them talk, but she still didn't like this "Mr. Carmichael." Pearl perched herself on top of one of the temple's outstretched palms, taking a bird's eye view of the three. _"Just to be safe,"_ she mused.

* * *

Once Pearl had given the go ahead the trio had started talking in the cool, course sand. Question after question had come from Carmichael, almost all about the Gems. Steven was almost about to go get Pearl again, just to make things easier. The thin man was especially interested in the Gems' fusion. How it worked, why they did it, etc. He practically jumped to his feet when Steven told him that he had fused before.

"Really?!" Carmichael exclaimed, "You said you were 'half-Gem,' but I didn't think you could do all the fancy stuff. So who was it with? Pearl, or one of the others?"

"Actually," Steven and Connie blushed, "I fused with Connie."

Carmichael was speechless for a moment. The pair had a hard time looking at him, and couldn't look at each other without blushing deeper than a tomato. Counting grains of sand was a much easier option for both of them.

The silence was broken by shouting from down the beach. The noise caused a group wide jump, and elicited yelp from Connie and Steven. A nasally tone was attached to the yelling, like someone had closed both nostrils before speaking.

Carmichael arched his neck to get a look at the incoming anger, "Either of you know a scrawny looking kid with red hair? Big earlobes?"  
Steven arched an eyebrow, "Lars? He never comes over here."

Connie shrugged.

Lars, now a few yards away, continued shouting, "Hey Steven! What's up man, you totally baled on me?!"

"Oh! That's Lars," Carmichael made a finger to head motion in realization.

Steven's face somehow got redder, "Oh my gosh! I forgot to send the text the other night! Lars I'm so sorry!"

"You forgot to- What?! What were you doing?!"

Steven fidgeted, "I was talking wi-."

"Hey guy, watch it. He was talking with me," Carmichael stood up. He wasn't much taller than Lars, but the few inches he had, made looming incredibly easy.

If eyes could bare teeth, Carmichael's deep blues would be snarling. Lars took a step back from the thin man. They were both skinny, but Carmichael's jacket hid his lack of any kind of muscle.

Lars scoffed, taking a step back at the sudden aggression, "Yeah? And who are you?"

"Carmichael Lerner."

Blood drained from Lar's face. A shudder rang through his body down to sneakers. His previous apprehension had fallen away to open mouthed shock.

"C-C-Carmichael!" Lars choked out, "H-Hey man! I didn't know you got back in town!"

Carmichael cocked an eyebrow, "Do I know you, kid?"

Lars pulled on his neckline, "Uh, nope! Sorry! M-Must have mistaken you for someone else! Ha! Funny right!? Hey Steven, sorry about that, I'll see you later! Bye!" He took a couple more steps backwards before turning tail and jogging back down the beach.

Connie and Steven were stunned. Maybe it was their youth, but seeing two adults fighting was much more frightening than any Gem monster they'd seen. Reminded them too much of an angry parent.

"Hey, uh, sorry about that guys," Carmichael rubbed the back of his head, "I don't think you all needed to see a bunch of macho alpha-male crap, you know?"

Steven spoke up first, "No, it's all right. He was mad at me."

"Stevie, no it wasn't. Just cause that jerk was mad, didn't give him the right to act like that," Carmichael patted his head, "Your good, don't worry about it."

Connie backed him up, "Yeah Steven, that's just Lars, right? Isn't he always like that?"

Steven was still a little sullen, "I still feel bad about not telling him the other night?"

"If it was that big a deal he would have said it earlier," Carmichael said flippantly. He took a look at an old looking flip phone. "Crap, gotta go kiddos. Good meeting you, Connie. You all should show me that fusion sometime!" They blushed again as he walked off.

Connie looked at Steven once she was sure Carmichael was out of earshot, "Hey Steven, does Lars know Carmichael?"

"It kinda sounded like it."

"Why did he flip out so much?"

Steven shrugged, "Didn't he say he looked like someone else?"

"Yeah… I don't know though. I say we should check it out!" Connie excitedly proclaimed.

"Why?"

"Something to do," Connie chuckled.

* * *

Pearl watched Steven and Connie hug goodbye after a few more minutes of talking. She walked briskly back into the home, needing to talk to the other Gems before Steven could get back up. Garnet and Amethyst were both standing the kitchen, trying to fix a refrigerator shelf.

"I told you it wouldn't fit," Garnet held up a good portion of the refrigerator's contents.

Amethyst was half way inside the icebox, loudly fiddling around with a new shelf, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Pearl announced herself, "I'm not so sure about Steven's new friend."

Amethyst poked her head out of the fridge, "Pearl, come on. Connie's been hanging out with Steven for like a year now or something. You should probably lay off."

"Not Connie!" Pearl huffed.

"She's talking about Carmichael, Steven met him a few days ago."

"Ohhhh. Why didn't you say so?" Amethyst got back into the appliance.

Pearl ignored her, "He just seems so…. shifty. I'm not sure he'll be a good influence."

Garnet removed Amethyst from the fridge with her foot and promptly shoved the food back inside. "It's Steven's choice who he makes friends with."

Pearl stuttered, "B-But!"

"But," Garnet continued, "I'll check him out just to be sure, if it'll make you feel better." She slid her visor down to give Pearl a wink.

Steven came through the door before anything else could be said.

"Hey guys! I- What happened to the refrigerator!?"

* * *

To be continued


End file.
